The Junior team won the title Thursday, defeated Redwood City National, 13-1.
The 11- and 12-year-old all-star team finished second, losing in the title game to Hillsborough, 9-5 Friday.
 Catcher Felipe Nah, center, shows how far he had to stretch his glove to make a catch for the Half Moon Bay 9- and 10-year-old All-Star. The catch delighted teammates Ian Goldbach, left and Max Jenkins. |
Quiet Celebration
The Half Moon Bay Junior team treated the win like any other win.
The Half Moon Bay players jogged off the field after the final out, traded high-fives. They shook the hands of the Redwood City National players and lined up to receive their participant pins. When coach Rich Forslund received the victory flag from league president Steve Stack, the players quietly walked over to Forslund to hold the flag.
It's the fourth time Half Moon Bay won the District 52 Juniors title in five years. It's the first time this year's squad had won any sort of district title.
'This feels great,' said Gabe Navarrete. 'We are all very happy. But now, we are getting ready for the next team.'
Half Moon Bay begins play in the five-team sectional tournament at 2 p.m. Saturday in Pleasanton. The competition will be a team from Tracy.
Three teams participated in the district tournament this year, making it the smallest ever. Half Moon Bay, which during the regular season had three teams finish in the top four, was the heavy favorite.
Half Moon Bay made quick work of Pacifica National on July 7, winning 12-4, thanks to the solid pitching of Dan O'Connor and Nick Curran. Henry Fassinger, Gabe Navarrete, Peter Bacich, Dan Welch and Mike Rupert each had two hits in the game.
The win sent Half Moon Bay to Thursday's title game against Redwood City National. Half Moon Bay erupted for seven runs in the second and never looked back.
'I knew we still had to pitch well and play good defense,' winning pitcher Brett Berghammer said. 'I wasn't worried about us losing focus.'
Navarrete scored the game's first run in the second. He scored the game's final run in the sixth on an inside-the-park three-run homer.
'I got lucky on that,' Navarrete said. 'The center fielder attempted to make a diving catch and just missed. I was surprised when (coach) told me to score. I thought someone caught the ball by then.'
It's the first time this year's team '“ which has played together in past years -- has ever won a district title.
'The last few years, we would lose the first game of the tournament, win the next game, lose the last game and go home,' Rupert said.
Close but not quite
Half Moon Bay's 11- and 12-year-old team was one out away from forcing an extra game. But a walk, two singles, an error and a three-run homer turned a 5-4 lead into a 9-5 deficit.
Half Moon Bay couldn't catch up, and finished second in the tournament.
Half Moon Bay took a 4-1 lead against Hillsborough in the first on the strength of Enrico Nuño's three-run homer and a Zane Gelphman home run.
Hillsborough tied the score in the fourth. But in the bottom of the inning, Silveria homered. The lead held until the sixth.
'I thought we could pull through,' Nuño said. 'But Hillsborough is a good team. They proved it.'
For the first time, this group of all-stars will not be going to a sectional tournament.
'It's a little tough right now,' coach Jennifer Freeman said. 'Every game, someone different made a play.'
After falling to Hillsborough on July 5, Half Moon Bay won three straight games to make it to the title game. Following a 10-6 win over Redwood City National on July 7, Half Moon Bay rallied for three runs in the fifth to beat San Mateo National, 3-2.
Kyle Harwood started the comeback with a home run. Following a Chet Silveria base hit, Cohlton Gonsalves homered.
Harlee Donovan's two-run double in the bottom of the sixth proved to the difference in Half Moon Bay's 4-3 win over Pacifica American on July 9.
Looking ahead
About two minutes after the final out was recorded, the Half Moon Bay 9- and 10-year-old team was already counting down the days until next year's tournament.
'We played a lot of good games this year,' since Justin Terra. 'We should do better next year.'
Half Moon Bay began last week with a 6-5 win over Pacifica American on July 6. Ian Goldbach gave Half Moon Bay the lead for good with a run-scoring double in the seventh.
That was followed by a 12-2 win over San Carlos. That set the stage for the game with Hillsborough, the eventual champions.
Half Moon Bay rallied to tie the score in the fourth. Max Jennings keyed the rally with a two-run double.
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